Job Shops on IndustryNet

Job Shops

Job Shops are small manufacturing systems that handle job production that is:

Custom/bespoke or semi-custom bespoke manufacturing process such as small to medium customer order and batch jobs.

Job Shops normally move on to different jobs with possibly different customers when each job is completed.

Machines are aggregated in shop by the nature of skills and technological processes involved and each shop may contain different machines.

Job Shops are usually businesses that perform custom parts manufacturing for other businesses. They mostly deal with in customization and relatively small production runs, not volume and standardization.

Example Of A Job Shop:

A machine shop is a perfect example of a Job Shop as it may make parts for local industrial machinery, farm machinery, boats and ships or even specialized components for the aircraft industry.

Other types of common Job Shops are:

• Fabrication shops

• Gear manufacturing

• Honing

• Jig-boring

• Grinding

Characteristics Of A Job Shop:

Layout- similar equipments or functions are grouped together. The layout is designed to minimize material handling, cost and work in process inventories and general purpose equipments are used.Job Shops compete on quality, speed of product, delivery, customization and new product introduction. Digital numerically controlled equipment is heavily relied on to give Job Shops the flexibility to change set-ups on various machines very quickly.

Routing- when an order arrives, the part being worked on travels through various areas according to the sequence of operation as not alljobs will use every machinery in the shop. Jobs often travel in a jumbled routing and may return to the same machine for processing several times.

Employees- are mostly highly skill crafted individuals who are capable of operating several different classes of machinery. Due to high skill level, Job Shop employees require less supervision. This is important as the primary role of management is to bid on jobs and to establish prices for customer service and retention.

Information – is key as it is needed to quote price bid on jobs, route an Order and specify the exact work to be completed.

Scheduling – mix of products is key issue in deciding how and when to schedule jobs as work may also be scheduled based on processing time.

Advantages Of Job Shops:

• High flexibility in product engineering

• High expansion flexibility- machines are easily added or substituted

• High production volume elasticity

• Low obselescene (machines are usually multi-purpose)

• High robustness to machine failures

Choosing The Right Job Shop:

• Reputation is critical when choosing a Job Shop as it is important to partner with one that has an excellent customer rating and is backed by high skilled crafted employees

• Quote should be both fair and realistic and it is important to remember that lowest price is not always the best choice as you may end up with poor workmanship. A Job Shop with a higher quote maybe the better choice as a reputable shop will price right and quality is guaranteed. If the product is machined well and shipped on time then it is worth the higher price.

• Building trust is important as it is the key to a successful business partnership

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